Description: Analyzing Pre-competencies verification form and use of technology as an educator.
Impact: Before this week I thought that I had a handle on the use of technology in my classroom. I knew that there were always ways to integrate more technology but I thought that I was doing a good job. Within a week that all changed. When I completed the verification form I realized that even though I thought I was using technology in my classroom I was more focused on how to get technology in my room rather than how technology could impact my content. While learning about TPACK and the model I have realized that I need a lot of work on using technology correctly in my lessons.
Intent: While this week has been a little depressing I have also been motivated to look back over my teaching and revamp how I am using technology in my classroom. I need to improve upon the diversity of technology in my classroom and how I meet the needs of all my learners. I have learned that just as I tier my instruction I also need to tier technology in my classroom. I have students that struggle to save a document to the desktop while I have other students that can create a wiki in three minutes. Instead of capitalizing on these differences I select technology that I thought would meet everyone. This thinking leaves some of my kids unable to complete a task while others are bored in ten minutes. The verification form has helped me prioritize what I want to improve upon first- Standard 4: address the needs of diverse learning by creating learner-centered strategies and providing access to appropriate digital tools and resources. I am not entirely sure how to make the changes but I hoping that through this class as well as the program I will begin to understand.
The TPACK Science Learning Activity Types article has already helped to form some ideas in my head about what I want to do next year and create this summer. I was really excited about "Record Data" activity type. I get so bored of looking at lab reports and I can only imagine my students get tired of filling them out. With the addition of using a spreadsheet, word processing software my kids will be able to record their data and create graphs all the while using digit tools to represent their lab work.
Impact: Before this week I thought that I had a handle on the use of technology in my classroom. I knew that there were always ways to integrate more technology but I thought that I was doing a good job. Within a week that all changed. When I completed the verification form I realized that even though I thought I was using technology in my classroom I was more focused on how to get technology in my room rather than how technology could impact my content. While learning about TPACK and the model I have realized that I need a lot of work on using technology correctly in my lessons.
Intent: While this week has been a little depressing I have also been motivated to look back over my teaching and revamp how I am using technology in my classroom. I need to improve upon the diversity of technology in my classroom and how I meet the needs of all my learners. I have learned that just as I tier my instruction I also need to tier technology in my classroom. I have students that struggle to save a document to the desktop while I have other students that can create a wiki in three minutes. Instead of capitalizing on these differences I select technology that I thought would meet everyone. This thinking leaves some of my kids unable to complete a task while others are bored in ten minutes. The verification form has helped me prioritize what I want to improve upon first- Standard 4: address the needs of diverse learning by creating learner-centered strategies and providing access to appropriate digital tools and resources. I am not entirely sure how to make the changes but I hoping that through this class as well as the program I will begin to understand.
The TPACK Science Learning Activity Types article has already helped to form some ideas in my head about what I want to do next year and create this summer. I was really excited about "Record Data" activity type. I get so bored of looking at lab reports and I can only imagine my students get tired of filling them out. With the addition of using a spreadsheet, word processing software my kids will be able to record their data and create graphs all the while using digit tools to represent their lab work.